A coalition of South-East and South-South youth organisations, on Friday, after an emergency meeting, endorsed Senate President Bukola Saraki as their candidate for the presidency in the country ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Leader of the group, Mr. Kenneth Oti, disclosed this at a press conference, in Owerri, Imo State, after a meeting with key stakeholders, and youth leaders in the sister political regions.
Mr. Oti said that the decision of the group was based on their conviction that the present leadership in the country has disappointed the Nigerian youths and failed distressingly and Saraki was the most dependable individual in the country now with what it takes to rescue and retrieve Nigeria from its present appalling state.
Kenneth Oti an astute youth activist and a trained campaign strategist maintained that Saraki’s benign and matchless political profile, far-sightedness and human nature as one of the leaders in the country and his track records as governor of Kwara State and his matured handling of the senate as the senate president has made him an exceedingly desirable candidate that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigerians generally should trust with the obligation to salvage the nation.
“We received the news of the long awaited declaration of the Senate President Bukola Saraki to run for the presidency in 2019 with exceeding happiness, joy and gladness. We are scared he would be intimidated not to declare. We have been mobilising secretly to go and beg him to run, in order to rescue and save Nigeria and Nigerians from the unhappy situation we found ourselves as a people, with common destiny.
“Now he has declared we are glad and shall liaise with other youth organisations across the country, under the auspices of a group called, “Nigerians United For Saraki’s Presidency,” to ensure he emerges the president in 2019. So today we endorse president of the Senate Bukola Saraki as our choicest candidate for the president of Nigeria in 2019.
“Our coalition of South-East/South-South youth organizations are on the same page with our Northern Youths counterparts who have declared the following: “The economy is in a very bad shape and the lives of Nigerians have become cheaper than a bag of rice in the market.
“We are greatly divided along tribal and religious lines and this polarization has dealt us big blows both on the local and international scenes.
“It is therefore very important that we elect a very credible leader to take us back to the path of progress and development.
“Saraki has proven himself a very competent and highly detribalised person who can effectively command proactive followership.
“His track records as the governor of Kwara state and as the senate president are here with us. That is why we have united to endorse him and urge him to come out for the presidency of this great country for the 2019 general elections.
“We urge the PDP and all good people of Nigeria to join in this train of change to bring in a tested and trusted leader so that he can bring in his wealth of experience and goodwill to bear in providing the much needed development that would reposition us on the path of progress.
”Saraki is not only a bridge builder but a leader with a difference who can move Nigeria forward. He is a grassroots politician and you can see this with what happened in his home state when he moved from the ruling APC to the PDP.
“His state governor, members of the state’s Assembly and virtually all the key political actors in his home state all moved along with him.
“That is one thing you cannot find elsewhere. If we give him our support, he would definitely take this country to the promise land of unity and progressive development”.
Mr. Oti insisted that the Senate President Bukola Saraki, not only inspires the youths, but will be God’s therapy to remedy the very many problems of Nigeria if elected the president in 2019.